Jesus said “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.””
John 16:33
Today I want to share the word especially with any of you that are facing trials in your lives !
Every single one of us is in one of these three places .
You are either right in the middle of a trial . Or on your way to a trial
Or on your way out of one
Because of the nature of the world in which we live Jesus said : in this world you are going to have troubles.
You don’t have to go looking for it , just keep living and the troubles will come and find you !
I preached months ago about suffering and troubles and I want just to remind you of some points.
Many people say: If God does exist and if He loves me why does He allow so many atrocities, sickness and sufferings.
How can a God who is all powerful and all loving allow for evil and suffering in this world ?
Some people say , I don’t believe in God because there is too much evil in this world.
If God is a good God , why doesn’t everything work out well ?
Why do believers get sick ? Why do believers get cancer ? Why do believers get involved in accidents ?
Why do People who we love pass away !
Why do children’s get sick ?
Why does God allow that if he loves us ?
1- God created us and gave us Free Will
Free will is the determining factor in pain and suffering.
Evil came as a result of the selfishness of man and his free will.
2- Evil and suffering in this world is a result of our departure from God’s way!
God is neither evil nor did He create evil.
Man brought evil upon himself by selfishly choosing his own way apart from God.
We as human beings are so selfish and we only remember God in times of troubles! You know , when was the last time you sought God the most ?
When was the last time you prayed the most?
When everything is fine, when there are no problems we tend to relax and enjoy life !
Most of the time the only way that you and I will ever encounter the details of the character of God is when He allows us to go through something bad.
Sometimes we pray and we say : Lord I want to see a miracle , Lord let me see a miracle !
Then in the next day we pray: Lord please keep me out of any situation in which a miracle actually might be required.
We like and love to be safe and and to have a good life , but sometimes God allows us to go through some circumstances and He uses this circumstances to our good !
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Romans 8:28
Testimony: Let me tell you a personal story. I took part on a state exam for a government job back in Brazil, which are really well paid.
I successfully passed the two first stages of it. Out of 5000 people they only selected 100. We then processed to take the psychological part of the test and 10 of us were approved. I was so happy! Then the final test was just a physical check up and out of the 10, I was the only one that failed because of an eye problem I had. Can you imagine how frustrated I was?? I was qualified to have the job but because of a small issue I did not get it!
But because of that myself and Fabiana ended up going to Uberlândia and becoming pastors there. And now because of that I am here today?
God causes everything to work together for our good!
Sometimes we are sick , stressed , frustrated , unhappy and God says:
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalms 46:10
God says to you : Be still, stop your striving, chill out , relax , and recognise that I am God ! I’m sovereign, I’m in control !
It means that maybe what happened to you last week or last month might have come as a surprise! But God was not in heavens going ooops! that one slipped past me ! Sorry I I wasn’t expecting that! No !
Because he is sovereign , He is God and He can use what is destroying you to bless you ! Your frustration is a great step for a miracle !
God causes everything to work for your good !
If we believe in His sovereignty and that He is all powerful, we are going to apply that sovereignty to this passage we are going to read now !
“Now Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee, and the crowd was pressing around him to hear the word of God. He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were about to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” So when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.”
Luke 5:1-11
Simon is not sovereign, He is just human like me and you.
So he’s fishing and every time he pulls in that net and there’s nothing, he is discouraged and disappointed and shocked
because he is an experienced fisherman but he’s not getting the result he’s expecting. He feels overwhelmed.
He can’t believe what is happening but what he could not know in his humanity, Jesus knew in his sovereignty!
Jesus knew there was a morning coming.
Jesus knew in the morning there were going to be thousands of people who were going to need to hear every word that was going to come out of His mouth!
Jesus knew He was going to need a place to stand !
Jesus knew that if He allowed Simon to catch all of those fish and to have the entire boat filled with fish, there would be no room for His feet.
So He allowed Simon not to catch anything because then there would be emptiness and space for Jesus to act in. Jesus now could turn that empty platform into a pulpit.
So your God , my God , very frequently uses our frustrations and defeat for our good.
That means if you’re in a place right now in your life where you’re fishing but not catching anything, it means the last emotion you should feel is discouragement.
Because you know if He’s allowed for that emptiness , that means He’s on the way!
He is making room for His feet in your life so he can show up and show Himself strong.
So don’t despise the emptiness. He sees you and He will use the part of your life you think is useless.
Because Jesus sits on that boat , Jesus proclaims a message from the emptiness of Simon’s experience, they hear a message because of Simon’s emptiness
And after He finishes the message , He basically turns to Simon and He says to Simon: I’m going to see if you believe this message that I just preached.
He says to him in Verse 4
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.””
Luke 5:4
Lets push out into deep water and let down your net for a catch !
“Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets.” Luke 5:5
Simon Said : Master we have worked hard all night long and we caught nothing!
In another words This makes absolutely no sense ! In fact Jesus instructions made absolutely no sense in two ways :
1- As an experienced fisherman on the sea of Galilee , Simon knew you had to fish in shallow water – that’s where they caught fish. Jesus was saying, let’s go to the deep.
2- Also as an experienced fisherman Simon knew that the time to catch fish was the middle of the night , that’s why he had been out the night before.
But Jesus probably finished His teaching at around 12:00 noon and Jesus is saying let’s fish in the middle of the day and let’s go to the deep.
This is , I’m sure Simon wanted to Say : “Look Jesus , you understand about preaching, but I understand about fishing”
Sometimes we hear God telling us to do something that is crazy!
But Jesus said : Simon if you trust me , Go to the irrational, nonsensical place of risky faith !
Faith is always at deep waters! We prefer shallow water because in shallow water we can stand up on our own two feet.
He calls you to the risky place of faith , because in the risky place of faith you get to experience Him in a way you would not have had the opportunity otherwise.
The problem with us all is that we like to play it to safe. We like to feel safe !
Because we don’t want the risk of going into deep waters , where we just can’t see how it’s all going to work out.
But listen : the shallow water was where Jesus taught the people , the shallow water was for the people , but the deep water was for Simon.
Shallow water is for the crowds , after they listened to Jesus they went home.
Deep water is for the disciples, after they went fishing Jesus said , come and follow me !
So if you stay in the shallow, you’re going to be just a religious person that likes to listen Jesus teachings.
But if you want your own personal intimate experience with God then when He calls you you must go to the deep.
Maybe you are going to say : it doesn’t make sense ! But you should trust in God’s Word .
Their night before had been totally fruitless and void of life . But Simon said : I worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets
“And this time their nets were so full of fish !”
Luke 5:6
When they went out to the deep they caught a great quantity of fish. When we obey God’s Word we are preparing ourselves for a miracle !
They got a lot of fish , because Jesus was in the boat and they were in the deep waters.
There were fish everywhere – more than Simon could imagine !
From nothing to something , from death to life , from discouragement to encouragement
From the natural to the supernatural, that only happens in deep waters.
Simon , John and James were so overcome with the abundance of God’s miracle.
Why are you listening or reading this message?
Because the Holy Spirit of God wants to encourage you on your fishing expedition.
God is calling you to deep waters and He’s going to do something in your life that is going to render you speechless!
In deep waters is where He does His best . I want to encourage you if you have been fishing for a long time !
Maybe you’re thinking there will never be a chance for a miracle , or this tragedy that we had , or this struggle that I have been going through nothing good could ever come of this !
Everything changes when Jesus shows up and the reason Jesus brought you and me together in this room is so He can call you to go to deep waters.
Are you ready to say yes ? God I want to know you , I want to have an experience with you !
If you are in trials , facing troubles I want to encourage you with these 2 verses
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20-21
That means that there is no trouble that you are facing , there is no difficulty that you are in , there is no pit you have dug to yourself , there is no situation, or issue or drama that you are going through that His Power is not greater still .
Be still, and know that I am God !
May God bless you